AWAKENING OF POND LIFE 99 



to show that it is mainly by means of the auxetics and kinetics 

 present in the pond water that the dormant life is caused to 

 reawake in the spring. The following tables show the results 

 of the experiments. For convenience the names of the localities 

 of the ponds are omitted, and the numbers only given. The 

 first table will therefore serve as a key to the remainder. It 

 will be clearly seen from a consideration of these tables that 

 there is undoubtedly a gradual increase in the auxetics and 

 kinetics present as summer approaches. The increase in the 

 kinetics was much more marked, however, than that in the 

 auxetics, which often seemed to remain constant. The chemical 

 analyses were conducted in order to ascertain, wherever possible, 

 if light could be thrown on any rise or fall in the auxetics and 

 kinetics present. I originally intended to conduct these monthly 

 examinations for the whole year, but unfortunately, owing to 

 a press of other research work, I was unable to carry the 

 chemical analyses further than May, although the testing for 

 auxetics and kinetics was continued to the end of June, as was 

 also the examination for albuminoid ammonia. If the chemical 

 analyses are carefully examined, it will be seen that the tendency 

 of the albuminoid ammonia is to increase from January to May, 

 and this is exactly what the kinetics do. 



Perhaps this fact is most strikingly brought out by means 

 of a curve, and if this is constructed it will be seen at once that 

 the kinetic curve rises and falls with that of the albuminoid 

 ammonia. Too much stress should not be laid on this point, 

 however, as on an examination of the tables it will be seen that 

 it is not always apparently the exact amount of albuminoid 

 ammonia in any given pond which determines the question 

 whether kinetics will or will not be present. Thus pond No. 1 

 showed traces of kinetics in January, the albuminoid ammonia 

 being 0*019, whilst pond No. 3 contained no kinetics this month, 

 although the albuminoid ammonia was 0'o8. It is evident, 

 therefore, that it is not the amount of albuminoid ammonia itself 

 which causes the kinetics to rise and fall, but something else 

 which, whilst producing kinetics, also influences the albuminoid 

 ammonia in an upward direction. Albuminoid ammonia, of 

 course, does not exist in water as such, but is a laboratory 

 product from the organic matter present in the water in solution. 

 The more organic matter in solution the higher will be the yield 

 of albuminoid ammonia obtained. Now in ponds, where as a 



